Tench Cox (1755-1824)Federalist Representation: Tench Cox at the time of the Constitutional Convention represented Pennsylvania. At the time, Pennsylvania was a place of rolling hills, an immense amount of forests, and mostly farmland. Their industry consisted of mostly agriculture and most specifically; wheat, corn, rye, hemp, and flax. However, it also consisted of the lumbering and shipbuilding industries, sawmills and gristmills, a prominent textile industry, and a huge printing, publishing, and paper-making industry. It's bordered by New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia. The over 50 natural lakes and the easily navigated Susquehanna River allowed for the milling industry to thrive with the use of water wheels. Philadelphia remained a vital port and grew into the biggest city in the colonies. Thus, the Constitutional Convention was held there in Independence Hall. During this period, Pennsylvania was very diverse with a lot of Scotch-Irish and German immigrants. Due to the founding Quakers, religious toleration was practiced leading to a wide variety of people.
Background: Tench Coxe, one of thirteen came from a family of political leaders. His grandfather was the attorney general of Pennsylvania and his great-grandfather was governor of West Jersey. Therefore, he was of above middle class due to his political background. He received his education in Philadelphia and proceeded to study law, but was stopped by his disapproving father who lead him to become a merchant. He then after becoming a partner in the counting-house of Coxe and Furman, became involved in British trading leading him to become a loyalist. After being arrested and put on parole by the British Army despite serving them, he joined the patriot cause. He soon became active in politics and later served as assist
Constitutional Convention: Despite not attending the first Constitutional Convention, he was present at the second from 1788-1789 in Philadelphia. But, he did not sign the Continental Association, United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, or the United States Constitution. He also was one of the twelve delegates that attended the Annapolis Convention in 1786 which originally called for the second Constitutional Convention. During the convention, he pleaded for the expansion of industrial development and domestic manufacturing of items like gun powder and ironworks factories. To do so, he read several addresses on how the government should promote invention which caused many delegates to encourage the constitution to have the authority to support discoveries through premiums and provisions. Also, he strongly supported the right to bear arms and viewed it as an individual right for the use of self-defense, hunting, militia purposes, and the protection of large standing armies. Lastly, he wrote several pamphlets to the public expressing the need for the constitution and airing his federalist beliefs. These included four federalist essays under the pseudonym "An American Citizen" published in Philadelphia in 1787 and widely reprinted.
State's Ratifying Convention: Tench Coxe was not a member of the Pennsylvania State Ratifying Convention.
Arguments For Ratification: As stated before, Coxe expressed his federalist leanings through pamphlets and papers. In one of these many essays, he contrasts the kings power and the presidents. To begin with, the president holds much less power and is closer to the people. The President of the Upper House (chancellor) in England is chosen by the King while our Vice-President is chosen by the people through the electors and senate. To add to it, the king is head of the church and commands a number of votes in the House of Lords by creating bishops who vote in the assembly. Therefore through both of these methods the king can control the government allowing for a higher change of tyranny while in America neither can happen because the powers in the hands of the people. The president is controlled by a system of checks and balances in which these measures can be prevented and does not have these influencing advantages. To add to it, the president has no direct control over the treasury and his pay is a set amount. Unlike the king, the country doesn't have to supply for his heirs and some American citizens may even exceed him in salary amounts. Also, unlike the king the president must follow the law, cant dissolve the senate, and is forced to take his supporter's views into account along with the governing body. The King of England has legislative power while the president has to have the support of 2/3 of congress before acting on a decision. In addition, the president may not appoint ambassadors/officers and make treaties unless once again congress is behind him on it. In England, the king has the power to create members of the upper houses while our leader may not, any judge or congressman found to not be doing their job would be dismissed. Lastly, in Britain their king is for life. Since he is appointed through hereditary means, he may not be a good leader and may be an inexperienced youth. Meanwhile, our president only holds office for four years and was chosen by the people and will remain a normal citizen after his leadership. Unlike Britain, he must be 35 years old and by then the public is aware if they are a good leader or not. If the president was to perform an act of tyranny, he would be impeached, put on trial, and be removed. In America, the people are created equal through the government and our president will never compare to the king because he doesn't lead the people, the people lead him.
References: John Dickinson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison
Foes: Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, and Samuel Adams
Hallbrook, Stephen P., and David B. Kopel. "Tench Coxe and the Right to Keep and Bear Arms." William and Mary Bill of Rights Journal 7.2 (1999). Print.
Representation: Tench Cox at the time of the Constitutional Convention represented Pennsylvania. At the time, Pennsylvania was a place of rolling hills, an immense amount of forests, and mostly farmland. Their industry consisted of mostly agriculture and most specifically; wheat, corn, rye, hemp, and flax. However, it also consisted of the lumbering and shipbuilding industries, sawmills and gristmills, a prominent textile industry, and a huge printing, publishing, and paper-making industry. It's bordered by New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Virginia. The over 50 natural lakes and the easily navigated Susquehanna River allowed for the milling industry to thrive with the use of water wheels. Philadelphia remained a vital port and grew into the biggest city in the colonies. Thus, the Constitutional Convention was held there in Independence Hall. During this period, Pennsylvania was very diverse with a lot of Scotch-Irish and German immigrants. Due to the founding Quakers, religious toleration was practiced leading to a wide variety of people.
Background: Tench Coxe, one of thirteen came from a family of political leaders. His grandfather was the attorney general of Pennsylvania and his great-grandfather was governor of West Jersey. Therefore, he was of above middle class due to his political background. He received his education in Philadelphia and proceeded to study law, but was stopped by his disapproving father who lead him to become a merchant. He then after becoming a partner in the counting-house of Coxe and Furman, became involved in British trading leading him to become a loyalist. After being arrested and put on parole by the British Army despite serving them, he joined the patriot cause. He soon became active in politics and later served as assist
Constitutional Convention: Despite not attending the first Constitutional Convention, he was present at the second from 1788-1789 in Philadelphia. But, he did not sign the Continental Association, United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, or the United States Constitution. He also was one of the twelve delegates that attended the Annapolis Convention in 1786 which originally called for the second Constitutional Convention. During the convention, he pleaded for the expansion of industrial development and domestic manufacturing of items like gun powder and ironworks factories. To do so, he read several addresses on how the government should promote invention which caused many delegates to encourage the constitution to have the authority to support discoveries through premiums and provisions. Also, he strongly supported the right to bear arms and viewed it as an individual right for the use of self-defense, hunting, militia purposes, and the protection of large standing armies. Lastly, he wrote several pamphlets to the public expressing the need for the constitution and airing his federalist beliefs. These included four federalist essays under the pseudonym "An American Citizen" published in Philadelphia in 1787 and widely reprinted.
State's Ratifying Convention: Tench Coxe was not a member of the Pennsylvania State Ratifying Convention.
Arguments For Ratification: As stated before, Coxe expressed his federalist leanings through pamphlets and papers. In one of these many essays, he contrasts the kings power and the presidents. To begin with, the president holds much less power and is closer to the people. The President of the Upper House (chancellor) in England is chosen by the King while our Vice-President is chosen by the people through the electors and senate. To add to it, the king is head of the church and commands a number of votes in the House of Lords by creating bishops who vote in the assembly. Therefore through both of these methods the king can control the government allowing for a higher change of tyranny while in America neither can happen because the powers in the hands of the people. The president is controlled by a system of checks and balances in which these measures can be prevented and does not have these influencing advantages. To add to it, the president has no direct control over the treasury and his pay is a set amount. Unlike the king, the country doesn't have to supply for his heirs and some American citizens may even exceed him in salary amounts. Also, unlike the king the president must follow the law, cant dissolve the senate, and is forced to take his supporter's views into account along with the governing body. The King of England has legislative power while the president has to have the support of 2/3 of congress before acting on a decision. In addition, the president may not appoint ambassadors/officers and make treaties unless once again congress is behind him on it. In England, the king has the power to create members of the upper houses while our leader may not, any judge or congressman found to not be doing their job would be dismissed. Lastly, in Britain their king is for life. Since he is appointed through hereditary means, he may not be a good leader and may be an inexperienced youth. Meanwhile, our president only holds office for four years and was chosen by the people and will remain a normal citizen after his leadership. Unlike Britain, he must be 35 years old and by then the public is aware if they are a good leader or not. If the president was to perform an act of tyranny, he would be impeached, put on trial, and be removed. In America, the people are created equal through the government and our president will never compare to the king because he doesn't lead the people, the people lead him.
References: John Dickinson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison
Foes: Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, and Samuel Adams
Coxe, Tenche. "An American Citizen." Philidelphia Independant Gazetteer (26 Sept. 1787). Print.
Hallbrook, Stephen P., and David B. Kopel. "Tench Coxe and the Right to Keep and Bear Arms." William and Mary Bill of Rights Journal 7.2 (1999). Print.
"Tench Coxe: Biography from Answers.com." Answers.com: Reference Answers. Answers.com. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.answers.com/topic/tench-coxe>.
"Tench Coxe." The James Madison Research Library and Information Center. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. <http://www.madisonbrigade.com/t_coxe.htm>.